This invention relates to magnetic belt conveyor type magnetic particle separators for separating magnetic particles from liquid containing such magnetic particles.
The cutting oil or grinding oil having been used in factories generally contains indefinite numbers of magnetic particles. Such magnetic particles have to be removed by separation from the oil for the re-use thereof. As the separator for separating these magnetic particles, a magnetic belt conveyor type separator is well known in the art. The separator comprises an oil storage tank for storing cutting oil containing magnetic particles, a belt conveyor having one end portion extending in the oil storage tank and the other end portion extending therefrom in an upwardly inclined direction, and a magnet disposed beneath and arranged along the forward run of the belt conveyor. With this magnetic particle separator, indefinite numbers of magnetic particles contained in the cutting oil charged into the oil storage tank are attracted by the forces of the magnet to the upper surface of the forward run of the belt conveyor and conveyed up to the forward run end thereof above one side of the oil storage tank for being removed.
The magnetic particles contained in the cutting oil have usually indefinite sizes and shapes and include fibrous or strip-like magnetic pieces or very fine particles. The fibrous or strip-like magnetic pieces tend to gather together and entangle one another to form spherical masses. Such masses of magnetic pieces, when attracted onto the upper surface of the belt conveyor, may roll together and fail to be conveyed to the forward run end of the belt conveyor. Also, very fine magnetic particles are likely to be introduced into a gap between the lower surface of the forward run of the belt conveyor and the upper surface of the magnet to be attracted to the magnet accumulated in the gap. The accumulation of magnetic particles in the gap causes wear of the belt conveyor and reduces the magnetic force of the magnets.